Hermione Granger's account  Philosopher's stone
by The Late Arthur Dent
Summary: The first in a series of 7 books detailing the Harry Potter saga but from the side of Hermione Granger, see how her Hogwarts life begins, the first meeting with Harry and Ron, the battle against Voldemort...this is where it all began.
1. Chapter 1

**Harry Potter and the Philosophers stone.**

Hermione Jean Granger was sat in the middle of her back garden on the grass, giggling to herself. It wasn't a big garden, and there was a small but deep pond in one corner. There was a large green frog bounding around the pond and on the rocks in the middle, and Hermione had never seen anything like it before. She was one year and 11 months old, quick learning though still unsteady on her feet. She could read all the children's books in the house and a few of the simple novels. She was, you could say, a child genius. Her parents watched her from the kitchen, whilst her father washed the dishes and her mother sipped a cup of tea. In the living room, the news was on.  
><em>-thirteen dead. Viewers are warned that this man is extremely dangerous and not to be approached. He is armed and violent. If you see him please contact the police immediately and I repeat do not approach or try to apprehend him yourself!-<br>_Mrs Granger frowned and went to see what was going on. A picture of a man was shown. He looked about 30, and had long brown hair. He was quite rugged and handsome and had the beginnings of a beard. There was a pained expression on his face, as though he had lost something he valued above all else. The photo showed him sat on a park bench, holding a stick with both hands, his arms on his knees. It seemed someone had seen him as they passed in a car and recognised him from the older photos that had been showing all week. As Mrs Granger looked on the man, she was vaguely aware of a new feeling of pity she hadn't felt before. He looked so miserable, like his life was been stolen. He didn't look like a murderer.  
><em>-Sirius Black is a cunning criminal and very good at deception. If you come into contact with this man ensure that you notify the police immediately and do not approach or communicate with him.-<br>_"John come and see this!" she called, "that Sirus man is on the telly again…"  
>"Martha its Sirius, has he killed anyone else?" her husband asked coming through from the kitchen to see.<br>"No. I would have thought they'd catch him by now…

In the garden Hermione was fascinated by the frog. She pulled herself up onto her wobbly legs and started forward with her arms outstretched. The frog splashed down into the water and then back up onto a flat stone at the side. Hermione shrieked with laughter and sped up. As she reached the edge of the pond, her left leg wobbled dangerously, followed by her right; then simultaneously they gave way. Hermione overbalanced and fell face first into the cold water. She didn't scream as she fell but gasped in a sort of exasperated way.

John turned his back on the TV and walked back to the kitchen to finish the washing up. He reached the sink and glanced into the garden, then reached for a glass. The glass shattered into seven pieces when it hit the floor. John threw the towel he was holding to the side and threw himself out of the door, hurling across the garden he yelled his daughters name. He couldn't see her anywhere, _damn her freaking investigative mind!_ He thought as he scanned the bushes as fast as he could. Then he noticed small bubbles rising in the pond. His heard skipped a beat…but he had barely hurtled half way to the rescue when a sharp crack echoed across the garden. He thrust his arms into the muddy pool, but there was nothing there, except for one shoe. He pulled it out and stared at it for a moment, then his wife screamed.  
>"John! JOHN!" she screeched from the living room. He stood up and looked around the garden again, he couldn't see his daughter, and had been sure she was in the pond moments before…but she can't have been if she wasn't now. He was an intelligent man and knew that small girls couldn't teleport. He quickly entered the house and found his wife in the living room, pressed up against the wall in an effort to get away from the small girl in the middle of the room. She was smiling happily and dripping wet as though she had just come out of the pond in the garden. Hermione waved at her dad when she saw him, a happy lopsided smile on her face that showed her two front teeth.<br>"John she just appeared, there was a bang and she was there! John how did she do that…John! John how did she do that!"  
>"Martha, she…I don't…"<p>

The doorbell rang about two minutes later. Martha was wrapping Hermione in a towel and John was still working out the logic. He had come to the conclusion that both he and his wife had blacked out at the same time, something to do with a polar eclipse, and in that time Hermione had crawled out of the pond into the house…  
>He got up and answered the door. Ten men stood outside with funny sticks in their hands. One man was holing a police badge. "E'scuse me sir but we have reason to believe you are 'arbouring a wan'ed criminal. Sirius Black is 'ere isn't 'e sir. I strongly suggest you le' us in." John stepped to the side without a word. It had been a strange day so far, this seemed reasonable. <em>Of course we're harbouring Sirius Black.<em> He said to himself. _That's the only way this day could end…_  
>One of the men raised his stick and whispered something…then shook his head at the others who all started to spread out and search everywhere they could. One of the men then stood right in front of John and smiled kindly. "Now sir, I need you to answer a few questions…" he said<br>"Marty, the muggle's not going to know about any apparition in his house is he?" said another. John just let the words wash over him.  
>"What's your name sir?" the first asked.<br>"Doctor John Granger." He replied, making no attempt to focus on the man, or make eye contact like he normally would have done when expressing his title. Then he had an idea. "Actually, can you help me with something, you see my daughter just did something very odd…we are not really sure what happened?" Understanding seemed to dawn on Marty. He smiled even more kindly.  
>"You've had a rough day haven't you Doctor Granger. Ok Mrs Kendall here can explain everything to you…just after," he raised his stick to point it at John. "Obliviate." He said.<p>

It was like someone wrapped a blanket around John's head. All of his worries and problems lifted. He didn't forget the strange men, or his daughter's ability to teleport, but he understood why it was necessary and normal. Then Marty said something to all of the other men who cleared out of the house, muttering things to John as they went but it was all very distant. Then someone shut the door for him and took a firm grip on his arm to lead him through to the other room. Martha was wearing a similar blank but happy look on her face. John was sat down next to his wife and Hermione was handed to him. Then a woman, presumably Mrs Kendall, sat down opposite them.  
>"Your daughter is very special Mr and Mrs Granger. She belongs to another world, very different from the rest of the world. You won't really remember this conversation or what she did this morning, but you will be aware that she is different. When she is eleven she will receive a letter inviting her to a wizarding school. You will be surprised but happy for her to go. Hermione will do some strange things between then and now, but they shouldn't faze you too much. We'll keep a closer eye on you than we would a wizarding family and if you require assistance, we'll be there."<br>"So who are you then?" Martha asked blearily.  
>"Jane Kendall from the Ministry."<br>"Are you taking Hermione away from us?" John asked in a slightly strangled voice, tightening his grip on his daughter.  
>"No sir. Hermione will stay with you apart from the time she spends at school. If that's all I really have to go, there's a wand wielding murderer on the loose." She smiled sweetly then stood up and turned on the spot. With a crack she vanished and Mr and Mrs Granger gradually forgot the conversation so that within about five minutes their day was completely back to normal.<p>

**10 years later.**

Hermione sat at the breakfast table eating her cereal – bran flakes; good for the teeth – when her mother walked in with the post.  
>"Hermione dear there's a letter for you! Strange looking crest on the back I wonder what that means, John dear have you seen that before? Funny, it looks like a school, did you apply anywhere else Hermione? I thought we agreed you were going to Welton?"<br>Hermione took the letter and stared at the crest for a moment, before opening it to see what was inside. There were two pieces of slightly yellow parchment with green ink writing on it. Handwritten.

_Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_ Dear Miss Granger,_

_ We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equiptment.  
>Term begins on 1 September. Due to your Muggle Parentage a Ministry of Magic representative or equivalent will arrive at your place of residence shortly to answer any questions you may have. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.<br>Yours sincerely,  
>Minerva McGonagall<br>Deputy Headmistress_

Hermione finished reading then handed the letter to her father who looked up from his newspaper to take it from her. His frown became more and more prominent as he read the letter and when he was finished he handed it to his wife with one word… "hoax."

Hermione stared at the letter indignantly. It was cruel of those bullies to actually find out where she lived and make her feel special only to have her hopes and dreams shattered when she found out that this Hogwarts was not real. Yet something inside her did feel like she had been waiting for this…  
>Just at that moment there was a knock at the door. John put down his paper and got up with a sigh to answer it. Hermione listened keenly to hear who could be calling this early on a Sunday morning. She also couldn't help shake the feeling the letter was not a hoax, and that the person at the door would be this ministry official…<p>

There was hushed talking in the hallway, then the front door closed with a click. John then re-entered the kitchen looking entirely bemused and with a hand to his head like he had just remembered something long forgotten, leading a very clean looking lady behind him. She was dressed very peculiarly with a tartan suit and her hair dragged into a bun. She looked very stern, but not unkind. Hermione could tell instantly however that this woman was not to be crossed.  
>"Good morning Mrs Granger," the woman addressed Hermione's mother who was eying the new arrival with concerned interest. "You must be Hermione." She added taking a seat beside Hermione. There was a slight Celtic touch to her accent. "My name is Minerva McGonagall and I am the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am here to answer any questions you may have concerning your enrolment at the school. Ah! I see you received our letter." She was smiling down at Hermione who stared from the woman to her mother and father who were also staring at Minerva.<br>"er…miss McGonagall? I-"  
>"Professor McGonagall you may call me. Go ahead."<br>"I don't understand." Hermione said quietly. It was not often that she didn't understand something that had been explained to her.  
>"Naturally, nothing to be ashamed of. Hermione, you are a very special girl. I trust you can do things, or have done things that seem unnatural? Things other girls your age haven't?" McGonagall replied.<br>"Uh yeah…" Hermione considered. Last year she had somehow inflated the model sun of her primary school's solar system so that it was to scale with the earth. The year before that she had wiped clean every white board in the school just by thinking about it. She knew it was her who had done these impossible things; she could feel some kind of power when she did, but she couldn't possibly understand how. Just last week she had had a dream about her room being a mess, and when she woke up, all of her clothes were neatly folded in her wardrobe, and the books all over the room, on her bedside table, under the bed, beneath her pillow, had stacked themselves on the bookshelf in alphabetical order. All of these things were impossible, yet she had accomplished them, one of them in her sleep…and somehow what Professor McGonagall was saying was starting to make sense.  
>"Professor, are you saying I am a wizard?" Hermione asked, her voice barely a whisper.<br>"No Miss Granger, I am saying you are a witch, and perfectly eligible to join Hogwarts School. Now this is not compulsory, however with your abilities, we ask you train yourself should you chose to not attend the school. Term begins on 1st of September, you should get the train from platform 93/4 and your school books can be purchased from Diagon Alley. If you find the pub _The Leaky Cauldron _in London and ask for Tom, he'll show you. Any more questions?" She asked politely.  
>"No Professor. This is real then?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "You really mean this, it's not some stupid prank?"<br>"No miss Granger."  
>"Then I'll come! Of course I will!"<br>It was then that Hermione's mother interjected. "No! We don't know anything about these people or this school…I mean…you could be kidnapping her! I want to see some credentials!"  
>"Of course." McGonagall answered, then she pulled a long thin wand out of the middle of her bun. Hermione stared wide eyed…there was no way there was enough space in that bun of a wand like that…then the professor pointed the stick at the sideboard where a dozen dirty plates and cups were resting. "Scourify." She said. The dirt on the plate began to move as though someone were blowing high pressured air at them…and before long the plates were completely clean. "There, now I'm going to have to ask you to sign this, it's nothing big it just means you won't be able to tell people about the wizarding world. We work very hard to keep it secret from muggles - sorry, non-magical people – and though we are happy to accept your daughter, we need to be sure you won't tell your friends where she is…this will just hold your tongue for you." Then she produced a letter from a pocket in her suit.<br>"Actually miss, can my wife and I please talk to you alone? Hermione can you please leave the room…" John said looking at Hermione.  
>"Dad! This is my future! I want to go! I…"<br>"Hermione we know your position…don't worry." Martha said smiling at her daughter. Hermione pouted but left the room. She stood right outside the door however, to listen to exactly what they were saying about her. Her dad was asking the questions about health and safety whilst her mother kept mumbling about food and sleeping quarters "But there will be a place for her to stay comfortably? You wizards _do eat?_ Can she come home on weekends?"

Hermione listened for a good ten minutes before her parents finally agreed to send her and signed the contract not to tell any muggles where she was going or what she was doing. Minerva McGonagall emerged from the kitchen with a very faint look of exasperation on her face and nearly walked into Hermione.  
>"It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Granger, I look forward to seeing you in September. I told your parents how it is to get to the school, and I presume you couldn't help but overhear. Good day." She said as she passed, before letting herself out the front door. Hermione stood up and resumed her original seat. Her parents were both sitting down at the other end of the table looking shocked about the whole thing.<br>"You do want me to go don't you?" Hermione asked uncertainly. They both blinked and focused on her.  
>"Yes dear! We want what's best for you! And if you have a talent then we want you to be able to show the world!" her mother replied. "Now, I'm going to make some sugar-free pancakes to celebrate and we'll go to this Diagon alley after breakfast. Hermione smiled to herself as she looked back at the letter…she was special…<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hermione got out of the car following her dad and waited impatiently as he locked it. She pulled her equipment list out of her pocket and carefully read through it for the tenth time.  
>"Now dad," she said bossily, tossing back her long bushy hair. "I think the first thing we'd better do is to get my wand…I mean that's the most important. Then we should get the cauldron because we can use it as a sort of trolley and carry everything else in it? Then I think robes so that I can change, and they might be quite expensive so we need to make sure we have enough-"<br>"how about first we find that pub eh Hermione?" Her dad asked as he joined her and took her hand in his. "Lead the way, and keep your eyes out I think she said I wouldn't be able to see it…" he said nervously.  
>"No dad she said <em>normal<em> muggles couldn't see it – because they aren't looking! You are looking so you should be ok." Hermione said an exasperated grin on her face as she pulled her father forwards. He made some sort of impatient huffing noise that got confused with his silent laughter and sped up a little to keep up. She was very excited and enthusiastic, he knew better than to try to get her to calm down when she was in this sort of mood.  
>They walked down an alley way and along another street, then turned left and followed that road for about a mile before Hermione finally pointed and exclaimed "There! That's it isn't it?"<br>John looked but could only see a record shop and a bookshop. "Honey I don't see…" he said, and then as he watched the buildings shifted slightly as though there was heat or steam rising in front of it. John blinked and looked closer as Hermione tugged at his arm to get him to move. Now when he focused he could see a dilapidated looking building in between a very rusty sign outside with the words _'Leaky Cauldron' _scribbled along the side. John shrugged and crossed the road then walked a little further until they reached the door. A few other people were around but their eyes slid from the bookshop to the record shop and they carried on walking, they . Hermione led the way through the door into a smoke filled room. There weren't many people around but all of them looked up as she entered.  
>An old hunched over man came over and stared at them…<br>"Muggles?" he asked in a slightly strangled voice.  
>"No…he is, I'm a witch…err, Professor McGonagall told us to ask for Tom…"<br>"Yeah that's me," The humpback said. "First time in Diagon Alley?" he asked as he showed them through to a back room that was completely empty but for two industrial sized garbage bins. Hermione nodded and her father tried a smile. "Here, just tap these bricks…like this…he tapped three bricks with an old, knotted wand, then stepped back. What Hermione saw, she couldn't have been prepared for. The bricks began to writhe as though alive, and in seconds they had moved apart to form a large archway. Hermione beamed from ear to ear as the scene she beheld began to worm its way into her mind. It was like nothing you would ever see in the normal world. She turned to her father who looked as though someone had smacked him hard across the face. He looked wide-eyed upon Diagon Alley, then down at his daughter. She smiled a toothy grin (because her two front teeth were larger than normal) and pulled him by the hand away from the pub and into the Wizarding world.

Immediately ahead of them was what you would have thought to be just the average ice-cream shop, but _Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour _was not offering normal flavours. As Hermione passed she sneaked a glance at the menu.

_Chocolate and Raspberry_

_Turkish delight_

_Whipped Cream and strawberry_

_Lime and coconut_

_Marzipan and icing sugar_

_Violet and caramel_

Though they all sounded edible, Hermione resisted the temptation and proceeded to drag her father further down the street. They passed a very dark shop called Eeylops Owl Emporium and Hermione was sure she saw a man twice the size of any normal man inside, bustling about with a large white owl in a cage under his arm. Hermione nearly tripped over when she saw the bookshop. There were stacks of books that could only have been held up my magic, but they didn't go in yet. They still had no money.

The large building at the end of the street with marble pillars and huge towering windows was where they were headed. Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Hermione grinned and sped up dragging her father behind her. It all seemed a little too much for him, he was gazing around with a dazed look on his face at all the things hovering above the ground, and signs that were shouting at passers-by to enter their shops, and as they passed what could only be a cauldron shop, he noticed that there were larger cauldrons _inside_ the smaller ones.

Hermione led the way up the marble steps and through the doors. There were two creatures standing guard either side of the next doors, and a gold plaque with a poem inscribed on it. Despite the creatures causing her to shiver, and her dad's blatant discomfort, he paused to read it.

_Enter stranger, but take heed  
>of what awaits the sin of greed<br>for those who take but do not earn  
>must pay most dearly in their turn,<br>So, if you seek beneath our floors  
>a treasure that was never yours,<br>thief you have been warned! Beware,  
>of finding more than treasure there…<em>

Hermione shivered and smiled, then continued through into a large chamber with golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling high above. More of the unpleasant creatures were standing behind high desks, some examining jewels, some exchanging money and keys with other people. Hermione didn't have a clue what she was supposed to do, and neither did her father by the looks of him. Then she noticed a sign beneath one of the desks – _Muggles._ Hermione headed for that desk and found herself face to face with one of the things. It had large ears, a long hooked nose and small beady eyes. Its head was also slightly disproportionate to its body, being much larger than she would have expected from the small but powerful looking frame.

"Good afternoon miss, do you have a pact with us already?" the creature asked in a low and irritable voice. Hermione shook her head quickly. "Have you been inside our halls before today?" it asked in the same irritable 'I should be doing something else right now' voice. Hermione shook her head again. The thing rolled its beady eyes and said, "Wait here please," before turning and leaving the room through a small door to its left. Hermione looked at her dad who was staring at the door as though terrified it would come back.

After a few moments, the thing returned leading a tall, handsome man behind him. He had shoulder length red hair that was dragged back into a ponytail and he looked about 20. The creature returned to its desk without another glance at the Grangers.  
>"Hi! I'm Billy Weasely, my job is to make sure you guys are comfortable here, you do know this is the safest place in the world for anything you want to keep safe! 'sept Hogwarts but that's obvious. These goblins would risk life and limb to protect any valuables you leave with them…that and the awesome security measures they have in place." He had a light, relaxed but assertive tone that made Hermione feel much more like she was dealing with someone superior and in authority than the <em>did he say goblin<em> that they were speaking to before.  
>"Hi, I'm Hermione, I'm starting school in September and I need some wizard money to buy my books with. This is my dad, he has normal money…can you exchange it please?" she said in her bossiest, most formal voice, standing up straighter to look taller and older as her grandmother constantly tried to remind her. Billy laughed a little.<br>"Sure Hermione, follow me and I'll sort that out for you. You might want to open a pact with us, then if you have muggle bank accounts, we can just transfer all your muggle money into galleons, and you'll be sorted. Am I right in thinking you don't have a clue about how Wizard money operates?" He asked casually. Hermione nodded and took a seat at a desk Billy had led them to. "Ok well Wizard money is split into Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. There are 29 Sickles to a Knut, and 17 Sickles to a Galleon. A galleon is worth about five muggle pounds." He said as he scribbled it down on a piece of paper and handed it to Hermione. "Ok? Now how much money do you want to exchange?"  
>"I have one hundred pounds, that's to last the year mind." John said, directing the last to his daughter. Hermione jumped a little when he spoke. He hadn't opened his mouth since they saw the Leaky Cauldron.<br>"Ok well that's twenty Galleons. Yeah that should last a while." He said thoughtfully, taking the money from Mr Granger and pulling out a bag of golden coins. "Here," he said counting them out onto the table. Hermione watched with great interest, and Billy threw in a few extra Knuts and Sickles –"Just so you have a few, I know you've never seen one…" –then they were on their way back out into the street.

The first place they went was Olivander's Wand shop, because the wand is the most important thing. He was a kind old man who smiled at Hermione had showed her a few different wands before she could feel the one she wanted: 10 ¾ inches, Vine wood with a dragon heartstring core. That cost a golden Galleon. Next they visited the book store, Hermione read out the list of school books to the shop assistant who used his wand to make them fly from shelves onto the counter. All together that cost four of her galleons.

The day didn't last as long as she had hoped. She spent hours in the book store, pulling books off the shelf and reading and re-reading them…she found one book that she couldn't resist reading _Hogwarts: a History_ By Bathilda Bagshot. It was full of amazing information about her new school and also contained little snippets of information about the Wizarding world at large. It was immensely interesting, and it was about 4oclock when her father came over and tapped her on the shoulder to tell her it was time to leave. They went in almost every shop, bought ice cream at the parlour and had her robes fitted…but before long Hermione was back in the car on the way home. But if she'd had any reservations about going to Hogwarts before now…they were all gone by the time her head hit the pillow. The Wizarding World seemed to be a fantastic place, and she kept seeing the face of the wizard at the bank in her mind. _I wonder if he has a younger brother…_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

September the first couldn't come fast enough for Hermione. She would miss her parents but she knew that Hogwarts was an experience some children would only dream of. She crossed off the days on her calendar (neatly in red biro) and packed her trunk days in advance to prepare. Her mother started to get quite teary-eyed and sobbed when Hermione wasn't around. It was a little surreal, but she supposed warranted since it had just been sprung upon them that they wouldn't see her until Christmas.

On the first at eight o'clock, Hermione sprung out of bed, a beaming smile on her face, and her voice running around and around in her head, reminding her of all the things that had been on her mind. _Really it's nothing to be excited about, I mean it's only school, now you must set a good example. Of course if there's a test when we first get there, you'll be fine because you read all of the books set, and if there's a practical examination, then you should be fine anyway, because they won't expect you to do anything that's not mentioned in the books and you've practically mastered all of the simple spells…_

Breakfast: sugar free bran flakes. Her parents were dentists after all…and they are good for the teeth. At about half past nine they got in the car and headed for Kings Cross station. It was quite a while away, and they arrived there at quarter past ten. The station was full of people bustling about and fighting over trolleys. A few oddly dressed teenagers rushed past them as they walked onto the platform, and a family of about seven people were all bustling about trying to separate the luggage to individual trolleys. Hermione led the way to platform nine, then waited expectantly. Her father stood before her for a moment, staring down at her as though attempting to memorise her face. Then he hugged her tightly and told her to stay safe…next her mother who was now crying uncontrollably and drawing a little attention to herself. Martha bent down and spluttered something indecipherable behind the tears. Hermione nodded anyway and hugged her mother, allowed herself to be smothered with kisses, then said her last goodbyes. Over her mother's shoulder she could see the family of seven heading her way. She wanted to get on the train before they did, they looked like a noisy bunch. Then they stopped to talk to someone, a kid, so she took her chance. She waved to her parents as she leant on the barrier and slid right through as though it was never there. Now she was in a completely different place. It was still a platform, and there was a big red train waiting to be boarded, but there was a magical feel about the air. There was a cloud of smoke drifting from the train, but Hermione could swear there was a purple tint to it, and it smelt like violet. She pushed her trolley through the throngs of people towards the train and a boy with a prefect badge helped her to load her trunk up, then she headed off down the carriage searching for a compartment. She found an empty one and sat down in the corner with _Hogwarts: A History_ which she was reading for the sixth time.

After about ten minutes a round faced boy slid open the door and went red when he spotted Hermione.  
>"H-hi…my names Neville, can I please sit here…e-everywhere else is f-full…" he stammered, going even redder in the face. Hermione beamed at him.<br>"Sure Neville, my name's Hermione. Come sit here…but I'm not going to talk much, it's vital that I know as much as I can when we get there." She replied, indicating the book she was holding.  
>"Why! Is there going t-to be a test?" he asked, going (if it's possible) even redder still. He suddenly looked like he'd rather be anywhere than the train at that moment.<br>"Oh don't worry Neville, it probably won't be hard." Hermione assured him as he sat down, but his face was still screwed up in misery.

They had sat together in silence for what must have been another five minutes when a small vicious looking woman appeared at the door to their compartment. She glared at Neville as she pulled the door open, then she thrust out her hand and Hermione was shocked to see a fat toad sitting on it.  
>"You boy had <em>better not lose it!<em>" She shrieked before vanishing again. Hermione blinked then looked at Neville who was shaking slightly.  
>"My nan…" he explained in a faint voice. "And my toad," he said, showing Hermione the toad, now in his hand. "Trevor." He finalised, then he put his head against the window and watched the people on the platform.<p>

Hermione looked out of the window and spotted the large family arrive on the platform. They all looked very familiar, and she wondered if she'd seen them before. They all had vivid red hair, and the youngest boy was having his face scrubbed by the mother. There was only one daughter, and the rest looked troublesome. The boy they had talked to before crossing to 93/4 was nowhere to be seen. Hermione watched as two of the boys (twins) vanished with the trunks, then the eldest who shook hands with his father and pecked his mother on the cheek, cast a disapproving look at the returning twins before leaving himself. The youngest's eyes widened at something the twins had just told him…the girl started jumping up and down before she was scolded by the mother…Hermione just watched with interest.

After another few minutes she decided to change into her robes so she pulled them out of her bag and threw them on, then sat back down to read her book. A whistle blew somewhere, and the red-head's made their way quickly onto the train. Neville looked around them sheepishly then cried "Oh no! I've forgotten my wand!" before dashing out of the compartment. Hermione checked her watch – 10:57 – he'd make it if he hurried. Luckily for Neville, his grandmother hadn't left the platform yet.

At 11:00 the whistle blew again, and Neville collapsed down into his seat. Parents along the platform waved and students bellowed out the windows to them. Hermione heard something about a toilet seat from the compartment next to hers…but shrugged it off and went back to reading her book as the train jolted forwards. _**They were on their way to Hogwarts!**_

It was about an hour later when Neville finally managed to attract Hermione's attention without having to overcome his shy nature and talk to her. She noticed him staring at her, almost tears in his eyes.  
>"Neville? Are you ok?" she asked, lowering her book.<br>"Trevor's gone. Nan's going to kill me if I don't find him…I don't know what I'll do…" he said quietly, looking helplessly at the floor as though expecting the toad to leap up saying _'here I am!'_  
>"Well, search the compartment then Neville. I'll look in the luggage rack, you check under the seats." She said, trying to be kind but really just glad she was in charge of something. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Neville jumped up off the floor so that his bottom was no longer pointing at their visitor, and an elderly lady popped her head in the compartment.<br>"Anything from the trolley dears?" she asked in a frail sounding voice. Neville shook his head and Hermione beamed down at the lady.  
>"Yes please," she said jumping down from the seat she had been stood on to check the luggage rack. She went out into the passageway to see what was for sale, and bought a pumpkin pasty, some non-alcoholic butterbeer and a liquorice wand. She put them on her seat for eating when she had finished the task at hand. "Come on Neville, let's go ask about." She said, so they went back into the passageway and walked down the way the trolley lady had come. She checked a few compartments but everyone just shook their heads, then she came to one with two boys in. One had red hair, and Hermione recognised him as the youngest of the family from the platform. The other had scruffy black hair and clothes that were too big for him. He also had round glasses that were broken and sellotaped together in several places. The red haired one had his wand out and pointed at a rat on his knee.<br>"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one." She asked. They both rolled their eyes.  
>"We've already told them we haven't seen it," said the read haired one.<br>"Oh, are you doing magic?" they looked at each other… "Let's see it then." She said in her bossiest voice. The red haired one cleared his throat loudly, whilst the other smirked and started picking about in the huge pile of sweets they had between them.  
>"Sunshine, Daisies, Butter, mellow…turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" he exclaimed. A yellowish spark flew out of his wand but nothing happened to the rat. Hermione smiled to herself, she could probably do something better than that.<p>

"Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not a very good one, is it?" The red haired one pulled a face at his friend who tried not to laugh. Hermione moved into the compartment and sat down opposite them. "I've only tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard – I've learnt all out set books off by heart, of course, I just hope it'll be enough – I'm Hermione Granger , by the way, who are you?" They were silent for a moment whilst they exchanged looks. They obviously hadn't read the set texts.  
>"I'm Ron Weasley." The red haired one muttered, his hand full of what looked like fluorescent jelly beans.<br>"Harry Potter." said the other.  
>"Are you really?" Hermione asked, she'd read all about him – he was the only person alive to survive the killing spell, and Voldemort had been vanquished because of him. Voldemort had been on a rampage practically, killing hundreds of people, and then one night he went to visit the Potters, and killed Harry's parents in a heart-beat. But he couldn't kill Harry. He used the killing spell, Harry survived, and Voldemort vanished. People said he was dead, Harry was a hero. But Hermione didn't want to say all of that out loud. "I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in <em>Modern Magical History<em> and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."_ For some reason he looked stunned. It was as though he hadn't read as much as he could about Magical history…as though he didn't know how famous he was…  
>"Am I?" he asked. That only confirmed what Hermione expected. These boys weren't going to take their education seriously.<br>"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it was me," she said. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in? I've been reading and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best, I hear Dumbledore himself was one, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad… Anyway, I'd better go look for Neville's toad. You two had better change into your robes, I expect we'll be there soon."

_Hey peeps I know sometimes it's a major effort to review, but if you want to make me really happy then please do :D…if you can't think of anything to write, or can't be bothered to write something then just put a _'3'_ and I'll know that you like it! Or if you don't like it… put an _'N'_ and I'll know you don't. Thanks peeps :D 3 _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hermione and Neville couldn't find Trevor. They searched every compartment they could, being stopped only by a group of boys about their age, one of whom had greasy blonde hair that was scraped back against his head and a very pointy face topped off with an unpleasant drawling voice. So they decided to go back to their compartment and wait to arrive at Hogwarts. Hermione tried to convince Neville that they would find Trevor, but he still sobbed noisily into his robes until they were nearly there.

Darkness fell outside the train. Hermione put her book away and readied herself for arrival, not wanting to keep anyone waiting once they got there. She talked nervously for the last hour of the journey, which only made Neville nervous, about Hogwarts and all of the secret passageways and the magical forest with unicorns, and all the amazing things they were going to learn to do once they arrived. Then they turned the last corner and Hermione caught her first glimpse of her new home. Neville looked puzzled at her momentary silence, and followed her gaze. That was when his sobbing ceased.

Hogwarts was beautiful. Hundreds of tiny pinpricks in the darkness of the sky showed windows, and the castles turrets were illuminated in a magical way. It was the biggest castle Hermione had seen in Britain, and far bigger than she'd have expected from the photographs in _Hogwarts: A History_. Of course, once she'd recovered from the shock, she told Neville this nugget of information, not that he was really listening. Hermione talked non-stop about the grounds and Hogsmead the neighbouring village. They carried their trunks to the nearest exit and fought through a tide of people trying to get off the train onto the platform. Hermione ended up next to a girl with longish red hair who smiled at her. They walked together, and Hermione lost sight of Neville in all the commotion. She glimpsed Harry and Ron, and pointed Harry out to the other red-head who looked most interested. 

"Firs' yer's over here!" yelled a booming voice. There was a man twice the size of a normal man standing at the end of the platform. Hermione and the rest of the first-years pushed their way over to him and he led them away from the station.  
>"I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione said to the girl beside her as they followed.<br>"I'm Hannah Abbot. Any idea what house you'll be in?" she replied.  
>"I think I'd like to be in Gryffindor, but Ravenclaw probably wouldn't be too bad, because I <em>am <em>quite intelligent, and I suppose it would be easier to explain to my parents that I'm in the house with all the cleverest people, than in the house with the most chivalrous, but of course they don't really care what house I'm in, I mean I got into Hogwarts didn't I and that's good enough… You know it's the best Wizarding School? Yes I did some research into it when I got my letter. My parents are, what do you call them, muggles? Yes. So they were very surprised when I got the letter, but I think we all knew that I was different."

Hermione was silenced when they reached the end of their walk. They had arrived at the edge of a vast lake stretching from where they stood to the school. Since it was so calm, the lake looked like glass, reflecting all the stars and lights from the castle. A bunch of rowing boats bobbed at the edge and the giant was leading the students down towards them.  
>"No more'n four to a boat!" the man called. Hermione looked around and spotted Neville looking sheepish on his own. She went over to him and smiled. He sniffed back and they went to get in a boat. Ron and Harry joined them, and once everyone was settled, they lurched forwards, the giant in a boat of his own. The castle stood atop a series of cliffs, and as they approached the edge, the giant yelled "HEAD'S DOWN!" so everyone ducked as the boats were swept into a sort of underground cavern beneath the castle. Then they reached a kind of harbour where the boats stopped for them to get off. They clambered out onto slippery rocks and pebbles and then stood shivering waiting for something to happen.<br>"You there! Is this your toad?" The giant called. Neville's face split into a grin.  
>"Trevor!" he cried, rushing forward his hands outstretched.<br>"Told you you'd find him." Hermione whispered as he came back, cradling his toad. The giant led them up a flight of stone stairs and at the top was a huge oak door. He raised one gigantic hand and knocked three times.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The door was opened immediately to reveal Professor McGonagall. She was wearing emerald robes and her black hair was still in a bun held tightly at the back of her head. There were a few murmurs around the group but for the most part they were quiet. They could see that this was not a woman to be crossed, the same as Hermione had predicted on her first encounter.  
>"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," said the giant.<br>"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here." She replied and the congregation began to file into the warmer interior of the castle. The Entrance Hall was the size of a leisure centre. You could easily fit Hermione's house inside. To the left was a huge marble staircase that led up to the upper floors. The noise of the hundreds of feet on the flagged stone floor echoed tremendously. From behind a huge door to the right came the drone of hundreds more voices. That must have been where the rest of the school was waiting, however the first years were not led through the doors, but rather right across the hall and into a side chamber.  
>"Welcome," she said, "To Hogwarts. The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting ceremony is very important because whilst you are here, your house will be like your family. You will have classes with your house, sleep in the house dormitory, and spend your free time in the house common room. These four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are here, any triumphs will warn your house points, where any rule breaking will lose them. At the end of the year these points are added up and the winning house will win the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.<br>"The sorting ceremony will begin shortly in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten up as much as you can whilst you wait." Her eyes swooped over the crowd and rested on Neville; his cloak was fastened under his left ear. "I shall return when we are ready for you. Please wait quietly." She said, then she turned and left the room. 

Hermione tried to stand up as straight as she could, posing her face into an intelligent smile. She ran her fingers part-way through her hair but stopped when the frizz got too much. There was nothing she could do now. She could see Harry desperately trying to flatten his sticking up hair, and Ron rubbing at the dirt on his nose. Neville beside her was struggling with his cloak. She sighed and pulled it round for him, then stood back to her fullest height. The sorting! There was a whole chapter in _Hogwarts: A History_ dedicated to the sorting. It was an enchanted hat that would scan the character of the person who's head it was resting on, and decide which house would suit them best; Gryffindor for the brave and noble, Ravenclaw for the sharp of mind, Slytherin for the cunning and witty, Hufflepuff for the loyal and just.

Just then something happened behind Hermione that made everyone scream – about twenty pearly white, translucent ghosts had glided through the wall, talking hurriedly amongst themselves…arguing about whether or not to give someone another chance…then a ghost wearing a ruff and tights noticed them watching.  
>"I say…what are you doing here?" he said. Nobody answered.<br>"New students!" said what appeared to be a fat little monk. Hermione smiled to herself as comprehension dawned…these were the Hogwarts ghosts, and the monk must be the Fat Friar as he was nicknamed by students. "About to be sorted I suppose?" he asked. A few people mumbled and nodded. "Well…I hope to see you in my house – Hufflepuff!"  
>"Move along now – the sorting's about to begin." said a sharp voice from near the door. McGonagall had returned. The ghosts floated through the opposite wall and the first-years turned to face McGonagall. "Form a line please, and follow me."<p>

Hermione ended up with Neville in front of her, and Hannah Abbot behind. She was very excited about being sorted, and was desperately trying to contain her excitement as the students followed very slowly out of the chamber, across the Entrance Hall and into the enormous Great Hall.

It was like nothing she had ever seen or imagined. The place was lit by thousands of floating candles that floated above four long tables. At the other end of the room was a small platform upon which was another table, this one horizontal, which housed what looked like the entire staff of Hogwarts. Hundreds of faces of the people sitting along the four main tables watched them being led down the middle towards the staff. Above them was a perfect image of the night sky: it looked as though the walls opened out to the heavens. Hermione smiled to herself again and as they drew to a halt in front of all of the staff of Hogwarts, with all of the students to the side and behind them, she whispered excitedly to everyone around – "Its enchanted to look like the sky above…I read about it in _Hogwarts: A history!"_

Professor McGonagall walked up onto the platform and placed a small three-legged stool, and upon that a battered, withered and ancient looking hat. Hermione could barely stand still. She was hopping from one foot to the other, itching to go and put it on and find out which house she was destined for. But it seemed there was something else to happen first because Professor McGonagall was now moving away from the hat, and everyone in the hall was staring at it. Then, before she could ask anyone, a rip quite near the brim opened and to the surprise of nearly all the first-years (though not Hermione because of course she had read about the sorting hat in _Hogwarts: A history_) it began to talk.

"_Oh you may not think I'm pretty,  
>But don't judge on what you see,<br>I'll eat myself if you can find  
>A smarter hat than me.<br>You can keep your bowlers black,  
>Your top hats sleek and tall,<br>For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
>And I can cap them all.<br>There's nothing hidden in your head  
>The Sorting Hat can't see,<br>So try me on and I will tell you  
>Where you ought to be.<br>You might belong in Gryffindor,  
>Where dwell the brave at heart,<br>Their daring, nerve and chivalry  
>Set Gryffindors apart;<br>You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
>Where they are just and loyal,<br>Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
>And unafraid of toil;<br>Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
>If you've a ready mind,<br>Where those of wit and learning,  
>Will always find their kind;<br>Or perhaps in Slytherin  
>You'll make your real friends,<br>Those cunning folk use any means  
>To achieve their ends.<br>So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
>And don't get in a flap!<br>You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
>For I'm a thinking cap!"<em>

The hall burst into rapturous applause as the hat finished its song and bowed to each of the four houses in turn, then became very still again. Hermione looked around in ecstatic adrenaline, the type you feel before an exam you are well prepared for…and Professor McGonagall stepped forwards once more, this time with a long scroll in her hands.  
>"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted." She said. "Abbot, Hannah!"<br>Hannah stumbled forwards, up onto the platform and sat shakily on the stool, and then she lowered the hat down onto her head and sat very still. There was a moment of silence, then the hat opened its mouth and screamed  
>"HUFFLEPUFF!"<p>

Hannah jumped up, pulled the hat off and hurried over to the table to the right and sat down with the rest of the Hufflepuffs who were shouting and applauding. After her, Susan Bones – a girl with blonde pigtails – was sorted into Hufflepuff alongside Hannah. After her Terry boot was made the first Ravenclaw and as he went to the table on the left several Ravenclaws stood up to shake his hand as he sat with them. Brocklehurst, Mandy joined him…but after her Lavender Brown became the first new Gryffindor. Hermione could hear someone catcalling as Lavender went to sit at the table on the far left. Hermione watched getting more and more eager as people were sorted, but she also noticed that some people took much longer than others. One boy – Finnigan, Seamus – sat on the stool for almost a minute before the sorting hat placed him in Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione." Her heart leapt and she practically ran to the stool and jammed it onto her head…pulse thudding. 

_Hello there, _said the hat in her ear, very quietly and quickly. It was as though time had slowed so they could talk properly, _You have a keen mind…Ravenclaw would suit you well…but there's a nobility to you that could destine you for Gryffindor. Both houses would benefit you … but I sense bravery in you, and a self-sacrificial nature that can only mean one thing…_

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted. Hermione smiled in relief and pulled the hat off, then walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Lavender Brown. She watched the rest of the sorting with interest then, planning how to tell her parents about the Hogwarts express, and the sorting…

_The rest is coming…check back later for the rest of Chapter 5. Sorry im doing it in instalments… _


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Neville was sorted into Gryffindor after much deliberation from the hat. He tripped over on his way up, and when he ran off to the Gryffindor table, he was still wearing the hat and had to jog back amidst laughter and applause to hand it back to the next boy.

A boy named Malfoy that Hermione recognised from the train as being the only person who didn't let them look for Trevor, was sorted into Slytherin before the hat had even come into contact with his head. Not many people left now… "Moon…Nott…Parkinson…Patil…Patil" twin girls, Padma in Ravenclaw and her twin Parvati in Gryffindor. "Perks, Sally-Anne…" then the room went silent as she uttered the next name. "Potter, Harry."

Hermione looked around and saw friends whispering to each other, and nearly everyone craning their heads to get a better look at Harry as he stumbled up onto the platform and sat on the stool. He looked very nervous and unsure of himself. Hermione felt quite sorry for him.

He looked like he was going to fall over as he sat down and the hat fell over his eyes. The room was absolutely silent in waiting. The twin red heads were practically standing on their bench with their fingers crossed, and the teachers were waiting with bated breath…Harry himself had screwed up his face in concentration…

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The twins started to jump up and down chanting "We got Potter…We got Potter…" and an applause from the Gryffindor table that sounded more like a hurricane was vibrating through the floor. Harry made his way over an sat by the twins, next to one of the Gryffindor prefects, also with Ron's vivid red hair, and Gryffindor's own pearly white ghost. Hermione smiled down the table at him, and the sorting continued. As the line of petrified looking first-years dwindled down, Hermione inspected the teachers at the head table. At the very far left was Hagrid, the giant who had taken them across the lake. Beside him was a very small looking wizard with a bushy white beard, and beside him was a ghost; (the only ghost teacher at Hogwarts – professor bins – _Hogwarts: A History_) then a woman with a very tight jaw, and then Professor McGonagall. Right in the middle in a chair slightly taller than the rest sat Dumbledore, the headmaster with his half-moon spectacles, white moustache and beard that was as long as his waist-length hair. He was smiling kindly down at the new students, clapping enthusiastically when they were sorted. Next to him was a very rotund lady with a bright green hat that looked like half a dead plant perched on her curly brown hair, which gave the likeness to a strange tree. On her side was a nervous looking man with a turban on his head who was glancing around the room in a very shifty manner as though expecting attack. At the end was a man with a sour look on his face and a long hooked nose, greasy black hair hanging in front of his eyes. With his long billowing cape, Hermione imagined he could pass off quite a good impression of a large bat.

"Ron Weasley…"  
>Not that she <em>really<em> cared, Hermione sat up a little straighter and watched as Ron placed the hat on his head. It seemed to smile…then placed him in Gryffindor. Ron sighed with relief and went to sit by Harry. After Ron, Blaise, Zabani was placed in Slytherin and the hat and stool were taken away. People were talking amongst themselves, discussing the song and the new students, many of them talking about Harry and staring down the table at where he was sat with Ron and his brothers.

Albus Dumbledore got to his feet, and immediately, the room fell silent. He was beaming down at them all, arms outstretched as though offering them all a big hug, and as though he would rather be nowhere else.  
>"Welcome!" he said, his voice booming much louder than Hermione was expecting. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin the feast, I might say a few words, and here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Odment! Tweak!<br>"Thank you." He said, then he sat down. Everyone laughed and Hermione looked around her uncertainly before asking the girl opposite if he was ok in the head. The girl looked to be in her fifth or sixth year and smiled across at Hermione.

"Oh he's ok…he's always been like that. 'Course he's mad, but he wouldn't be the same otherwise. He's got a brilliant mind."

But the girls attention was distracted as the golden plates up and down the table were suddenly covered in food. Hermione's jaw dropped as she stared around her. Everything she could think of to eat was here…she could have anything! And there was so much of it! She grinned and started to help herself to lamb and roast potatoes. She laughed when she noticed a small bowl of mint humbugs a little further down the table. Dumbledore really was mad. She started to eat eagerly, and as she did she noticed the teacher with the turban was having an animated discussion with the greasy haired man, but the latter was staring directly at the Gryffindor table, down past Hermione at Harry Potter.

After the meal and deserts were cleared by magic, Dumbledore stood up to address them once more.

"Ahem – just a few more start of term notices to give you. First-years should note that the forest in the grounds is strictly forbidden, and a few of our older students would do with a reminder of that as well. I have also been asked by Mr Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of term, and anyone interested should see Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right hand side is out of bounds to those who do not wish to die a most painful death."

Hermione wasn't sure whether or not to laugh so she instead looked around to judge other people's reactions, and from the looks on their faces, this was a new addition to forbidden ground.

"And now before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cried gleefully, drawing his wand and giving it a quick flick as though trying to remove a fly from the end. From its tip flew a long ribbon that formed words for them all to sing.  
>"Everyone pick their favourite tune…and off we go!"<p>

It was like a bomb going off! Everyone in the room bellowed the song, at diferent speeds and tunes, different octaves and rhythms…

_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
>Teach us something please…<br>Whether we be old and bald  
>Or young with scabby knees<br>Our heads could do with filling  
>With some interesting stuff<br>For now they're bare and full of air  
>Dead flies and bits of fluff!<br>So teach us things worth knowing  
>Bring back what we've forgot<br>Just do your best we'll do the rest  
>And learn till our brains all rot!<em>

The twins were the last to finish at a funeral march, and Dumbledore conducted the last few lines with his wand before smiling at them all and saying "Off you trot!"

The Gryffindors all followed the prefect who could only be Ron's brother out into the entrance hall and up the marble staircase. Hermione took great interest in the pictures on the walls of whom she suspected most were famous or talented witches and wizards that she would be learning about in the near future. They waved and smiled out of their frames at the passing first-years, and some even moved along into their neighbours frame to get a better look at Harry. They were held up by a poltergeist called Peeves on the way, but they were nearly on the sixth floor and Hermione was far too tired to pay much attention. The prefect threatned Peeves who left, cursing all the way down the corridors.

After another few staircases, they reached a portrait of a very fat lady in a pink silk dress. The prefect stood up a little straighter, cleared his throat and said with importance and evident authority "_Caput Draconis." _The portrait swung forwards to reveal a short tunnel and a room beyond, through which they all pushed.  
>"The common room. You'll need to remember the password. Girls to the left, Boys to the right…your trunks should already be up there."<p>

_Leave a review please please please…I'll love you forever! I need feedback so I can improve :) Thanks for reading!_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hermione made her way down to breakfast the next day with two of the girls who shared a dormitory with her; Parvati and Lavender. They gossiped and talked non-stop which Hermione considered to be quite an achievement as they couldn't possibly have anything new to say after only being apart for 8 hours, and having both been _asleep_ for those hours…but they had found something.  
>"Did you see…"<br>"The scar? Yes! Did…"  
>"I see his eyes…gorgeous!"<br>"And his hair! Sticky-uppy…"  
>"Yeah really cool…bet he's taken…"<br>"Nah! He doesn't even know anyone here…"  
>"What about those gingers?"<br>"Yeah…but they're blokes…haven't seen him with any girls…"  
>"I did on the train, when I walked past…he was with…"<p>

The two girls turned to Hermione who had been walking silently behind them as they followed a fifth-year down to breakfast. They both had very cheesy smiles that were sort of forced, but Hermione didn't really care. She had enough on her mind without getting dragged into some childish man-hunt for the new most famous boy. She actually felt a little sorry for him. He seemed harmless and pretty gormless, and they were all too young to be dating anyway, she was here to learn, not to fall in love.

The great hall was relatively empty when they arrived. The three girls took seats near the end of the table and Hermione helped herself to two pieces of toast, a sausage and some scrambled eggs. The other two put their heads together and giggled and gossiped and glanced around them to make sure they weren't over heard. Hermione sighed and looked to the staff table. Some of the teachers were there including McGonagall, the short one with the white beard and the giant, but no Dumbledore. Maybe he ate in his room?

Hermione had nearly finished her food when Harry and Ron and one of Ron's brothers walked into the hall. Parvati and Lavender shrieked with laughter and excitement as they passed, attracting some very funny looks from the people in the steadily filling hall. McGonagall was heading down the table handing out pieces of parchment to each student with a few words with the older ones. Hermione finished her breakfast and looked to the sky: cloudy with a chance of rain, a little sun coming in from the east. McGonagall reached the trio and handed them what turned out to be their timetables.  
>"Ah yes, new students also require a map." She said thoughtfully, waving a wand and conjuring an elaborately folded piece of parchment. "Upper folds are upper floors…please do try to be on time." She handed them out.<br>"Actually professor, I don't think I need one, you see I read all about Hogwarts in _Hogwarts: A history,_ and I learnt the map in the back of the book off by heart! So I probably won't get lost. And I will be on time to my lessons! I can't wait to start! You know I tried a few simple spells and they've all-"  
>"That is fantastic Miss Granger…I'm glad of your enthusiasm. I really have to go now, but I shall see you in Transfiguration."<p>

Hermione smiled happily as she read through her timetable. First lesson was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, followed by double Potions with Snape and then lunch. After lunch she had charms (Flitwick), and then Defence against the Dark arts (Quirrel). She said goodbye to her two new friends who weren't listening and hopped down from her bench to collect her bag and books for Transfiguration and Potions. It was quite a trek back up to the dormitories but Hermione didn't get lost once. She was careful that the staircases were stationary before she mounted them (because they often swung around to face a different direction as though Hogwarts was trying to lose you!) and arrived at the common room just as a group of third years were leaving to go to breakfast. She ran through the common room, eager to get to her lesson, then up the stairs into the dormitory. She stuffed her books into her bag and headed for the door…then stopped and pulled the books back out. Being the perfectionist that she was, she carefully piled the books onto the floor and organised them into size order before putting them into ther bag with the biggest at the back and her diary at the front. She rearranged them slightly, then smiled and headed back down the stairs and out onto the main staircase. Hermione was practically beaming when she arrived at her Transfiguration room, first of course, and waited patiently for the rest of the class to arrive. Within five minutes McGonagall turned up, eyebrows raised at the sight of Hermione standing in a one-person line outside the door.

"Well miss Granger, you _are_ enthusiastic." She said happily before unlocking the door and leading the way into the cavernous classroom. Hermione gasped as she stepped through the door. It was exactly how she imagined it! There were cages of animals around the room and a large vulture perched on one of the rafters. Rows of desks lined the room and Hermione headed straight for the one nearest the front. McGonagall took a seat on a tier at the front and waited for the other students as Hermione took out her books and a quill, some ink, her wand and then sat arranging and rearranging them on the desk, first with the wand and quill next to each other on the left hand side of the books with the ink in the top right hand corner, then with the wand on the right (for easy access by her wand hand) and he quill across the top with the nib pointing to the ink pot, then with the lot clustered on top of the books but this looked ridiculously untidy so she hastily moved them before the professor could see her dis-organisation. She settled for the first arrangement and sat upright, studying the birds and lizards around the room.

Soon enough, the rest of the class made an appearance. They slowly filled the classroom, some looking excited, others apprehensive and others looked practically bored – like the blonde, pointy-faced boy who sat at the very back with his goons. It seemed they would be sharing this class with the Slytherins. Hermione faced the front, waiting for McGonagall to begin the lesson, but she seemed to be waiting for something. A frown burrowed in her forehead until she seemed to give up waiting.

"It seems that some members of our number will be joining us a little later than I had hoped." She said. Hermione gasped. _Someone's late! For their Very First Lesson! Do they not care about making a good impression?_ "I shall begin the lesson, and let's hope they arrive soon. I know some of you are," she looked at Hermione, "…keen…to begin with some magic. However you could do some serious damage messing around with Transfiguration. I taught a boy a few years ago who inadvertently turned all of his fingers into chicken talons." The room cringed. "It took madam Pomfrey two days to reverse as I refused due to his stupidity. So let me warn you now, if I tell you not to do something then for your own sake don't because I won't be cleaning up after you. I wanted him to stay like that but Professor Dumbledore wouldn't allow it, nor would his parents though they did sympathise with me rather than him. So…open your text books to page four and copy out everything that moves. The stationary paragraphs should be used for revision purposes."

Hermione grabbed her quill and began to scribble as the words on the page ran off the top and new ones replaced them. She had to write very fast to keep up with them, but for the most part it was fun rather than strenuous work. She seemed to be the only person to think so however, but no one wanted to say anything out loud and the room was silent other than the scratching of quills and the splash of ink every now and then. McGonagall stood watching them for a moment, then went and sat on her stool. Hermione glanced up and was startled to see a brown tabby cat sitting where she had been before. Hermione grinned at the amazing use of transfiguration and continued her work.

About quarter of an hour into the lesson, the doors burst open and Harry and Ron stumbled in looking very flushed. They looked around the class and sighed in exasperation before Ron let out a kind of strangled laugh of relief.

"Can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?" he asked. Harry nodded, smiling as well before they started towards the only empty seats - next to Hermione. Hermione cringed, and glanced from Harry and Ron to the cat which leapt down from the stool, transforming back into professor McGonagall as it landed. The boys' faces drained of colour as she straightened up.

"That was bloody brilliant…" Ron said tentatively. Harry just gazed at her in shock.  
>"Thank you Mr Weasley, for that assessment. However, perhaps it would be more helpful if I were to turn the both of you into a pocket watch? That way one of you might be on time!"<br>"Sorry Professor…we got lost." Harry stuttered.  
>"Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats?" she said, gesturing to the seats by Hermione and indicating that they were the only late comers. They bowed their heads slightly as they passed and took their seats by Hermione who quickly started to instruct them on everything McGonagall had said and told them what they should now be doing, showing them her work and pointing out the pages in the text book. For some reason they caught each other's eye and grinned. They didn't seem particularly grateful for her help, so at the end of the lesson she packed up then practically ran to potions.<p>

But Potions wasn't nearly as fun as Transfiguration. Snape seemed very moody, and he had a particular dislike for Harry (though Harry wasn't paying attention and so it wasn't completely uncalled for). Hermione listened intently and raised her hand to answer the questions he put forward. He must have wanted someone else to answer though because he never picked her. The Slytherins were his obvious favourites, but then they were his house so she judged fair enough. After two hours of writing and lecturing, they headed for lunch. Hermione was very excited about Charms, and decided to sit with Harry and Ron despite their lack of interest in her assistance in Transfiguration.

Flitwick was a very excitable wizard, but very short with a long white beard. He had to stand on a pile of old text books to be seen over the desk. He had them practice saying the charm – _Wingardium-Leviosa – _and a swish and flick motion, however he wouldn't let them do any real magic either. Then Defence against the dark arts with professor Quirrel who was very jumpy and stuttered every other word. His lesson was very interesting, they learned about fire-bees from Mexico.

At the end of the day, after Hermione had had her dinner and was back in the common room, she took a seat at one of the round study tables by the windows and pulled out her books. This acquired her a good few funny looks from around the room but she didn't care. If she didn't start learning her work now, then when would she? _There's just no point revising a few weeks before the exam! That's simply too late!_ So she sat quietly and read through her notes for the day until she was tired enough to go to bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The weeks slid by for Hermione. She attended her lessons with enthusiasm and extreme punctuality, and was very careful to keep on top of her work as the homework began to pile up. She revised a little every night, and mainly kept to her little corner in the common room, casting occasional disapproving looks over her shoulder to the twins who generally caused havoc in the common room each night with their re-vamped muggle magic tricks and special miniature fireworks. Harry and Ron were really her only friends, all though they barely talked outside of the classroom. Towards the end of September, their flying lessons began. Hermione was looking forward to these in a different way to the other lessons. Hermione had never gazed longingly at the sky wishing to fly, had never had flight dreams…and was in no hurry to take to a broom. But she was still eager to show her ability.

They had a very stern looking woman as their flying instructor. Madam Hooch. She had very shocking hair and yellow eyes like some kind of bird. When she arrived, the pupils were all standing in two groups opposite each other with the brooms in the middle. The Gryffindors stood on one side and to their dismay; the Slytherins glared at them from their group a few metres away. Hermione heard Ron mutter to Harry: "Malfoy's always going on about his amazingness at Quidditch. Bet it's all talk…bet we'll find out now…"  
>Hermione rolled her eyes. Everything had to be a competition with them.<br>"Come on hurry up what are you all standing around for!" Madam Hooch barked. "Stand beside a broom! Now!"  
>Hermione jumped forward and took a spot in between Neville and Ron. She smiled at Neville then returned her attention to Madam Hooch.<br>"Stick your right hand over your broom and say UP." she instructed. Hermione frowned. That seemed very simple. She raised her hand so that it was straight over her broom and said, "Up!" in her most bossy voice. The broom didn't even flinch. To her right but one, Harry's broom shot into his hand immediately. Hermione looked around, not many people had managed it which made her feel a little better. She tried again, and this time it rotated a little in the grass. Neville's was completely still, and Ron's was shivering. Most brooms had jumped up on the second attempt. Hermione was getting more impatient. "UP!" she shouted. The broom very slowly raised off the ground before jumping up to meet her hand. She smiled and looked at Ron just in time to see his broom soar off the grass and hit him in the face. Harry sniggered and Ron punched his arm. Neville was eventually the only person who couldn't get his broom off the ground and was forced to pick it up. Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end. Ron and Harry sniggered and hi-fived each other when she told Malfoy (who turned out to be the pointy-faced boy) he had been doing it completely wrong for years.

"Now when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground hard," Madam Hooch said as she walked out of the way of the brooms. "Keep your brooms steady, hover for a moment, then lean forwards slightly and touch back down. On my whistle – three – two-"

But Neville was obviously very nervous about being left behind and before the whistle had even touched her lips, he kicked off from the ground hard.  
>"Come back boy!" madam Hooch shouted after him, but he was rising fast, like a cork from a bottle. He reached about twenty feet when he made the mistake of looking down. Hermione watched his scared white face gasp, then he slid sideways off the broom. THWACK – Neville landed with a thud and a nasty crack, and madam Hooch ran over to him, her face as white as his.<br>"Broken wrist…" she muttered. "Come on, boy – it's ok, up you get." Then she turned to the rest of the class. "No one move whilst I take this boy to the hospital. Those brooms stay where they are – or you'll be out of here before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on dear…"

As soon as she was out of earshot, Malfoy bust out laughing, Hermione could almost smell the testosterone emanating from Harry and Ron as they prepared to fight him.  
>"Did you see his face? The fat lump!" Malfoy laughed, and the other Slytherins joined in. "Look!" he said, darting forwards and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that thing his gran sent him!" he said, triumphantly holding up a remembrall. It glittered in the sun as he held it up to show everyone.<p>

"Give it here Malfoy." Harry said stepping forward. Hermione rolled her eyes. Malfoy sniggered.  
>"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find it…how about…up a tree?" he said, mounting his broom laughing.<br>"I said _GIVE IT HERE!"_ Harry yelled as Malfoy took off. He hadn't lied – he was a very good flier. Harry clambered onto his broom and a space cleared around him.  
>"<em>NO!" <em>Hermione shouted. "Madam Hooch told us not to move…you could get us all into trouble! And you could be expelled!"

Harry ignored her. Hermione watched helplessly as Harry shot up into the air level with Malfoy. They were shouting at each other, then Harry suddenly shot towards Malfoy with his hand outstretched. Malfoy rolled on his broom to avoid Harry, then threw the remembrall as hard as he could. Harry shot after it like a lightning bolt. He was heading towards the ground full tilt. Hermione wanted to close her eyes but at the same time, she wanted to watch. Malfoy landed in the middle of the Slytherins and everyone watched Harry plummet towards the ground at a very frightening rate. Then very suddenly he pulled out of his dive at a parallel to the ground with his fist in the air and a triumphant grin on his face. The remembrall was in his hand, glinting in the sunlight. He slid to a stop and dismounted…

"_HARRY POTTER!" _  
>Professor McGonagall was running across the field towards them. Hermione poised herself, fixing her very best *I told you so and it serves you right* look on her face, raising her eyebrows a little and pursing her lips. Harry's face drained of its little usual colour as he was escorted away despite a few protests from Gryffindor students.<p>

"Good riddance!" Malfoy spat once Harry and McGonagall were gone. Hermione had to actually hold on to Ron to stop him punching Malfoy. The Gryffindors bust out into shouts at the Slytherins and the Slytherins retaliated in kind before madam Hooch appeared from nowhere, her whistle shrieking at them. The look on her face told the rest she was very serious and they fell back to their lines with their brooms in hand, ready to continue the lesson.


	9. Chapter 9

_I'm back! Had exams and school etc…but now it is the summer holidays (AT LAST) so I can probably update once a week *at least* apart from when I am at Soul Survivor. SOO! Enjoy and sorry for such a long break :L_

**Chapter 9**

The majority of Slytherins were overly happy for the rest of the day, and a few of the Gryffindors less so as news spread rapidly about Harry Potter's pending expulsion. Thanks to the rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, coupled with Harry's fame, the whole school seemed to have taken sides, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff generally on his side. They all saw it as brave and noble of him to risk expulsion and his education to stand up to Malfoy for Neville. Hermione of course saw it for what it was. Stupid. If he wanted to get himself thrown out of Hogwarts, jeopardising his entire wizarding life by disobeying an express order from a teacher? Then that was his decision to make, and he made the wrong one. She took a rather long time explaining this fact to Ron who seemed to have sided with the majority of the school on the issue, and was proudly and worriedly proclaiming Harry a hero in the common room, with an avid audience. He had walked with her back up after the lesson, first analysing Harry's every move in the air with awe, repeating over and over that it was "Incredible for a first time on a broom!" and complaining about the unfairness of Harry being punished and not Malfoy. He had concluded his speech with "He's a gonner." as they arrived at the portrait hole, but immediately launched back into his optimistic view of Dumbledore giving him another chance because it was a show of chivalry as he re-told the story to the twins, then the rest of the Gryffindors. Hermione had taken a seat by the fire and listened only sporadically, but noticed how Ron's version seemed to include a fight to the death and a 50 ft plunge before Harry managed to fight his way back onto this broom as Malfoy shot jinxes at him. She smirked as she pulled out a book to read until it was time for dinner.

Ron was insufferable on the way down to dinner. He was fidgety and nervous, and kept looking around him as though hoping to see Harry jump down from a windowsill or out through a tapestry, but there was no sign of him at all and Hermione had to just put up with him until they reached the main hall. Ron's face split into a grin as they located Harry's head in the midst of some third-year Gryffindors. Hermione frowned as she saw that Harry was smiling – surly someone who had just been _expelled_ would look more miserable than that? As Ron bounded over to him, she went over and sat down just far enough away that he wouldn't notice her, but close enough that she could hear. Just as she took her seat, Malfoy came sauntering over with his goons in tow.  
>"Having a last meal Potter?" he smirked. "When are you getting a train back to the muggles?"<br>"You're a lot braver now you're back on the ground and you have your little friends with you…" Harry pointed out, though there was really nothing at all little about his goons. They glowered and cracked their knuckles, though since the high table was full of teachers, there was really nothing they could do but that.  
>"I'd take you on alone <em>any time Potter.<em> Tonight if you want? Wizards duel. Wands only – no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizards duel I suppose?" he asked smirking again. Hermione gasped.  
>"Course he has!" Ron growled. "I'm his second, who's yours?"<br>Malfoy looked at his goons, sizing them up. "Goyle…no Crabbe." He said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room – it's always unlocked." And he left. Hermione sat with her mind reeling. _They might get hurt. And on top of that they are going to get caught, and they'll damage Gryffindor's chances of winning the house cup. I have to stop them…it's now my responsibility as I'm involved now. It would be dishonest of me to ignore something as important as this!_ And with that she made her decision, got up and stood very close to them.

_ "_What do I do if I wave my wand and nothing happens?" Harry was asking Ron worriedly.  
>"Chuck it and punch him on the nose?" Ron suggested with a snort.<br>"Excuse me." Hermione said politely. They looked up at her with momentary confusion on their faces.  
>"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron. Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.<br>"I couldn't help but overhear what you and Malfoy were saying-"  
>"Bet you could," Ron snorted.<br>"-and you _mustn't_ go wandering around the school at night! Think of the points you will lose for Gryffindor if you get caught…which is sure to happen. It's really very selfish of you."  
>"It's really none of your business." Harry retorted.<br>"Goodbye." Said Ron.

Hermione hurried up to the common room, mind racing from the conversation with Harry and Ron. _They are going to ignore me and they are going to go anyway…and they are going to get caught…and then what? What if they drag me into this! Then my education could be jeopardised? If they find out that I knew and didn't stop them…I have to stop them!_

She went to bed at half six and had a good four hours sleep before her alarm woke her up. She got out of bed just as the rest of the girls were coming in. They said nothing and watched, giggling occasionally as she changed out of her pyjamas into clothes and they did vice-versa, then she headed back down into the common room. It was nearly empty. She took a seat by the fire and waited for people to go to bed. Once she was alone, she flicked the lights off and waited.  
>At about half past eleven there came the padded sound of two pairs of feet descending the stairs to the boys' dormitory. Hermione waited until they were nearly at the portrait hole before speaking. "I can't believe you are going to do this Harry." And she flicked a lamp on. They were stood there in their dressing gowns looking at her like she was a ghost.<br>"_You!"_ Ron spluttered "Go back to _bed!"_ He said furiously.  
>"I almost told your brother. Percy…he's a prefect! He'd put a stop to this!" Hermione said in a hushed shout.<br>"Come on," said Ron pulling on Harry's arm. They went through the portrait hole with Hermione at their heel. She wasn't giving up that easily, not when they were so blatantly flouting school rules.  
>"Don't you <em>care<em> about Gryffindor? Do you only care about yourselves? _I_ don't want Slytherin to win the house cup! And you're going to lose all the points I earned from professor McGonagall for knowing about switching spells!" she hissed.  
>"Go <em>away!"<em> Ron snapped.  
>"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow. You're so-" but Hermione had turned back to the portrait hole and found it closed behind her. Not only that…but the fat lady was not in her picture. She had gone on a night time venture and Hermione was locked out. "Now what am I going to do!" She asked shrilly, panic beginning to rise in her. She looked around at them, wide eyed and starting to sweat a little.<br>"That's your problem." Ron said. "We've got to go, we're going to be late, and Malfoy will think we aren't coming."  
>Hermione watched them walking away for a few seconds, a war raging in her mind. One the one hand, she could stay here and wait to be found, then be able to tell people about what Harry and Ron were up to, but that would implicate her because she knew and hadn't told any teachers. <em>Why hadn't she told any teachers!<em> On the other hand, Harry seemed pretty good at getting out of tricky situations, and logic dictates that if you are moving, and the enemy is moving, you are less likely to stumble across each other's paths, therefore if she moves with them, Filch wont find her just sitting outside the common room with not much proof or explanation, and if she's with them and they get caught, she can say she tried to stop them and they'll back her up because it's the truth. But…what if the fat lady is only round the corner on the way back? Then she could just wait? They were at the end of the corridor. She made up her mind and hurried after them.  
>"I'm coming with you." She said.<br>"You are _not!"_  
>"You think I'm just could to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you and you can back me up."<br>"You've got some nerve -" Ron said loudly but Harry cut him off by waving his arms…  
>"Shh! Both of you! I heard something."<br>They listened. It was a sort of soft snuffling…  
>"Mrs Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting into the darkness. Hermione stood very still as the boys started to creep up the corridor further. It wasn't mrs Norris, it was Neville. He was curled up in a ball, fast asleep until they approached him and he jerked awake.<br>"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours…I couldn't remember the new password to get up to bed."  
>"Keep your voice down Neville." Ron said hurrying over to him and pulling him to his feet. "The new password's 'Pig Snout' not that it'll do you much good right now…the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."<br>"How's your arm?" Harry asked. Neville pulled up his sleeve and showed his mended arm.  
>"It's fine, Madame Pomfrey fixed it in about a minute."<br>"Good." Harry said looking around him to check they were still alone. "Look Neville, we have to go somewhere, so I'll see you -"  
>"No! Please don't leave me here, I don't want to stay on my own. The bloody baron has already been past twice…" He whimpered, looking from Harry to Ron then back. Ron looked at Hermione, then signed in a very over exasperated way.<br>"If either of you get us caught, then I swear I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."  
>Hermione raised her eyebrows and was about to tell Ron that the proper term was a "Bat Bogey Hex" when Harry shushed her, then lead the way onward.<br>Hermione was out of her mind with nerves. This was possibly the most rebellious thing she had ever done, and with each step she thought longingly of her four poster bed and the warmth of the safe dormitory, the sanctuary of rules and regulations…every shadow looked like Filch and every noise made her jump. As they reached the trophy room, Hermione was the first to notice that they were alone. The moonbeams shone through the high arched windows onto the polished metal of hundreds of tropheys. Hermione spotted the Quidditch house cup in a corner and noticed Harry's name on it. She squinted and moved close enough to realise that it said "_James Potter – seeker". _She smiled to herself and wondered if Harry knew…but before she had time to mention it, they heard a voice in the next room that made them all grow pale and cold.  
>"Sniff around my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner." Filch was giving Mrs Norris instructions. He knew they were there. Hermione began to shake as she looked wide-eyed at Harry and Ron. Suddenly, her plan didn't seem like such a good one. No-one would ever believe that she was trying to stop them, and they wouldn't back her up when it incriminated them and only saved her. Harry immediately took charge.<br>"This way!" he mouthed and led the way down an adjoining column of trophy cases. They could hear Filch getting nearer, but Hermione could see Harry's plan. They were going to creep around and go back out the same door they came in, doubling back behind Filch. She smiled at his brilliance, but just as the tight knot in her stomach started to ease, Neville let out a quiet shriek of fear, broke into a clumsy run, tripped over his own feet, grabbed Ron around the middle and the pair of them fell face-first into a suit of armour. The crashing and banging was enough to wake the entire castle never mind alerting Filch to their presence.  
>"RUN!" Harry yelled and the four of them sprinted down a corridor, round a corner, through a tapestry, up a staircase and into an empty classroom that Hermione was pretty sure was on the fifth floor, two floors up from the trophy room. Neville was bent double and wheezing, Hermione clutching a stitch in her chest.<br>"I – told – you!" Hermione gasped. "I – _said…" _She repeated, waving her free hand through the air.  
>"We've got to get back to the Gryffindor common room as quickly as possible." Ron said hurriedly.<br>"Malfoy tricked you Harry. You know that don't you? He was never going to meet you." Hermione said, standing in front of him so he had to look at her. "Filch knew you were going to be there, someone tipped him off. Malfoy tipped him off Harry." She said. The look on his face gave her the satisfaction of knowing he knew she was right, even if he didn't say it.  
>"Lets go." He said, and they all got up and walked out into the corridor. It wasn't quite that simple however, because they had only taken a few steps when a doorknob rattled ahead, and then something pearly white with a flash of orange shot out into the corridor. Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a shriek of delight.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Shut up Peeves – please – you'll get us thrown out."  
>The poltergeist cackled, eyebrows raised, floating right in the middle of the corridor so that they couldn't get past.<br>"wandering around at midnight, ickle firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty!"  
>"Not if you don't give us away! Please Peeves…"<br>"I should go and tell Filch I should." Peeves said in a mockingly saintly voice. "It's for your own good you know…" he added, a wicked gleam in his eye.  
>Ron lost his temper. "Get out of the way!" he snapped taking a swipe at Peeves. That was a mistake.<br>"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" he started to below. "STUDENTS OUT OF BED IN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"  
>Ducking under Peeves they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where the slammed into a door – and it was locked.<br>"This is it. We're done for!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door. A flash of inspiration shot through Hermione's brain and she remembered a particular page of a text book. She shoved Ron out of the way and snatched Harry's wand, raising it confidently. The first rule of good spell-casting is confidence. "Alohomora!" she whispered. The lock clicked and the door opened slightly. They pushed it open and almost fell inside, Neville at the rear, slamming it behind them and sliding the lock back into place. Hermione beamed to herself. They all pressed themselves to the door and listened intently.  
>"Which way did they go Peeves?" Filch asked in his wheezing, raspy voice. "Quick tell me!"<br>"Say 'please'!"  
>"Don't you mess me about Peeves, tell me NOW, <em>where did they go?!"<br>_"I shan't say nothing if you don't say please." Said Peeves in that annoying sing-song way. Hermione could easily picture his grin, ear to ear, and Filch's slowly reddening face as he desperately looked around for some trace of them.  
>"All right – <em>please…"<em>  
>"NOTHING! Haha! I said I wouldn't say nothing unless you said please! Hahahaaaaa!" and they all heard the sound of Peeves swooping away, probably through open doors and passageways so that Filch couldn't hope to follow him. He cursed in rage and they heard him shuffle off.<br>"He's sure this door is locked! We're safe I think." Harry muttered to the others. "Get _off_ Neville!" for Neville had been tugging persistently at his cloak for the last minute. Hermione looked from Harry to Neville and then down the corridor they were now stood in. They were in the corridor on the third floor. It was becoming blatantly obvious why the door had been locked and the corridor out of bounds. In the middle of the floor, just starting to stir, was the biggest, smelliest animal Hermione had ever seen. It looked like a cross between a Hydra and a giant, black/brown dog with paws the size of a car. When it stood, it filled the entire space between the ceiling and the floor and it's three noses were twitching in their direction. Three mouths growling slightly…three pairs of blood-shot eyes focused intently on them. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she looked at the monster. She looked it up and down quickly – there must be a reason for a monster like this in the school. On the floor in the corner was a dog bowl, completely empty – probably someone's idea of a joke – and under one of the dogs heavy paws was a small trap door, barely large enough for a man to fit through. It was guarding something. A scratching sound was made as Harry scrambled for the handle and wrenched the door open so that the four of them could tumble out of the corridor, locking the door behind them as they went, all breathing heavily. The second the door was shut, without a look at each other, they started to run, desperate to put as much space as possible in between them and the monster. They didn't stop running until they were stood outside the portrait of the fat lady. She raised her eyebrows as they approached. "Where have you four been?" she asked sternly.  
>"Pig snout, pig snout," Harry said between pants. She swung open and they clambered in, collapsing trembling into the arm chairs by the fire. Hermione calmed down first. She sat scrutinising the boys with the most 'mature' expression she could muster. Neville quailed under the look. He looked as though he'd never speak again. Harry stared defiantly into the fire. Ron was as white as a sheet but he was the one who spoke first.<br>"W-what do they think they're doing? Keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" he murmured, just loud enough for them to hear him. "If any dog needs exercise it's that one!" he added looking around at them all seeking approval.  
>"Don't you ever use your eyes? Didn't you see what it was standing on?"<br>There was silence for a moment as they absorbed this. Then Harry smirked, "the floor?" he looked at Ron in bewilderment. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was a it pre-occupied with its heads, all _three_ of them!"  
>"No. <em>Not the floor.<em> It was standing on a trap door which means it wasn't just there, it was there for a reason. It's guarding something." She stood up. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have all been killed or worse expelled, and it would have been your fault. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed before either of you comes up with another ridiculous, hair-brained scheme."  
>On the way up the stairs to the girls dormitory, she realised she was still shaking with fear, or was it anger? Either way it was Ron's fault. And Harry. The two of them were just damn right irresponsible and she wouldn't stand for it. She would be keeping a very close eye on the two of them from there on, and she would certainly be going to Professor Mcgonagall if she heard them talking about anything this ridiculous again and they would be getting expelled on their own next time. She was having nothing to do with people like that. Ever.<p> 


End file.
